Real Food vs Protein shakes

[jared530]

What do you notice when you consume more real food rather than protein shakes?

I drink protein shakes obviously because its conveinient PWO because I dont have to prepare a meal, and plus my appetite is suppressed. But do you notice better gains when you drink less shakes and start eating more lean meats?

 

[Shelby]

For years I've been doing about 50% of my meals from whole foods, and the other 50% from shakes, and I've been making gains just fine.


My shakes always have "whole foods" in them though, like protein powder, oats, peanut butter, macadamia nut oil.

 

[Lenny]

For years I've been doing about 50% of my meals from whole foods, and the other 50% from shakes, and I've been making gains just fine.


My shakes always have "whole foods" in them though, like protein powder, oats, peanut butter, macadamia nut oil.

Amen to that. My shakes are like blended up meals, easy to get down the throat and less time to consume it.

 

[PsyT]

waits for Mountaindog's response

 

[Tom]

as part of your digestive process amino acids are absorbed by your body. at that point your body does not differentiate if the amino acids came from chicken, fish, steak or shakes. the shakes reqiure less digestion and are more efficient. i think it's all about your preferences. i have been getting the bulk of my protein from shakes for over 20 years now.

 

[Arcus]

50% of my protein comes from whey shakes, as is advised by a highly respectable trainer that posts around here.

 

[jared530]

Ok thanks guys I just wanted to see what everyone here was doing. Im usually about 50/50 as well with a cup of oats+protein+BCAA for breakfast and preWO, waxy+protein+bcaas+glutamine PWO, and shake before bed. For real food Ill have 3 meals each containing 7oz of a lean meat.

Doesn't protein shakes take as little as an hour to completely digest? If so would it be recommended to eat again after about and hour from the consumption of a shake?

 

[Tom]

Ok thanks guys I just wanted to see what everyone here was doing. Im usually about 50/50 as well with a cup of oats+protein+BCAA for breakfast and preWO, waxy+protein+bcaas+glutamine PWO, and shake before bed. For real food Ill have 3 meals each containing 7oz of a lean meat.

Doesn't protein shakes take as little as an hour to completely digest? If so would it be recommended to eat again after about and hour from the consumption of a shake?

depends...are you hungry? or are you eating by the clock? listen to your body.

 

[jared530]

depends...are you hungry? or are you eating by the clock? listen to your body.

shit im hungry a half hour after i eat. lol. I tend to eat by the clock, so that I dont eat all my food before half the day is over. When i go onto cycle im going to add 400 more cals.

 

[jogates]

Love this thread b/c i try to have 6 meals a day... 3 shakes 3 real food meals... my 3 meals are not the biggest meals but i slip pb and j sandwiches in between... i am in college and it is sometimes very hard to make meals... plus i just broke it off with the old lady so no more home cooking lol...

TOM.. how long before your workout do u take your preWO shake?

 

[Tom]

Love this thread b/c i try to have 6 meals a day... 3 shakes 3 real food meals... my 3 meals are not the biggest meals but i slip pb and j sandwiches in between... i am in college and it is sometimes very hard to make meals... plus i just broke it off with the old lady so no more home cooking lol...

TOM.. how long before your workout do u take your preWO shake?

about 45 min.....another shake post workout but this one has pineapple juice in it. then roughly 2.5 hours later solid meal.

 

[Mikee]

Id pick a meal over a shake any day. There are so many more things in a good meal that a shake usually wont supply.

 

[Gunsmith]

Id pick a meal over a shake any day. There are so many more things in a good meal that a shake usually wont supply.

like what?

 

[Gunsmith]

I've been getting most of my cals from whole food , most of the time in the AM i add a couple scoops protein to my oatmeal rather than a bunch of eggs as its just easier to eat and I'll have a couple scoops mixed into a thick paste with a little almond butter before bed

 

[big_guns]

like what?

jeeh like what ?

 

[jared530]

Id pick a meal over a shake any day. There are so many more things in a good meal that a shake usually wont supply.

For me its hard to eat lean meats(chicken, pork loin, turkey unless its smoked) without some sort of marinade which has some fat and sodium. Even though a protein shake will supply your body for a short time, you know your only getting protein and nothing else, plus its convenient, and i add BCAA's

It would take me about 30min to choke down some dry ass chicken breasts, compared to 30seconds for a shake

 

[thebrick]

I like shakes when necessary, especially when crunched for time like everyone seems to be these days. I am careful not to "over-blend" though because too much air emulsified in the shake leaves me feeling really bloated.

 

[teenylittlesuperguy]

This is a good question

This is a good (although commonly debated question) among bodybuilders and athletes alike. There are two sides to this debate.

One school of thought claims that whole food is better than protein shakes. I believe that the argument for this is that whole foods contain more vitamines, minerals and amino acids etc, than a protein shake. I think that there is also a sort of attitude among these thinkers that "protein shakes are an easy way out" almost like they are a way of cheating, because they offer a quick simple shot of protein with very little work. I dont think anyone would admit that they feel that way, but its just a vibe I get.

The other school of thought believse that protein shakes are equal to and perhaps greater than consuming whole foods. There are benefits to protien shakes. They are quick and easy. They are much more portable and more publicly presentable than a container of chicken breasts or tuna fish. Not everyone enjoys the smell of someone elses food.

My personal opinion is that protein shakes are great. I usually get 3 or 4 a day when I am bulking and 1 or 2 when cutting. I do not particularly like the artificial sweetener found in some shakes. but that is personal preference. I consume first thing, pre and post workout and pre bed. If my day is a little slower, i consume just pre and post.

 

[jogates]

does it matter if you use water or milk?
i use water in all my shakes except the one i drink before bedtime... i use milk

 

[jogates]

I like shakes when necessary, especially when crunched for time like everyone seems to be these days. I am careful not to "over-blend" though because too much air emulsified in the shake leaves me feeling really bloated.

yes i get this as well... hate it